a little gossip

Lots of curry being cooked up at my place lately. Here we go.

It came from the edge of the spice rack -- This one is pure experimentation, but I think it turned out pretty darn tasty.
1 med-lg sweet onion, chopped
20 oz lean ground turkey
4-oz pkg sliced fresh mushrooms
yellow curry powder
fenugreek seed, ground
paprika
sea salt
olive oil

In a drizzle of olive oil, saute onion in large skillet over med-low heat. Sprinkle the 4 seasonings to taste. (Onions will turn yellow.) When onions are translucent, push to side of skillet and add turkey. Raise heat to med-high. When turkey is mostly cooked, combine with onions and add mushrooms. Add more seasonings to taste. Mix well, letting the juice from the turkey transfer the seasonings. Cook until heated through and mushrooms are tender, a few minutes.

According to the label, fenugreek tastes and smells like maple and burned sugar.

Vegetarian Spinach Curry - from tasteofhome.com
For the recipe, see the link. I used my yellow curry powder and fresh spinach cooked in another pan instead of frozen. I also ate it without couscous. It was yummy.

The next two recipes come from the label of a Thai Kitchen can of Lite Coconut Milk. It was an impulse buy as these were impulse recipes.
Thai Red Curry Shrimp - As written on the label:
In a large saucepan, simmer one 14 fl. oz. can Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk with 1 to 2 tbsp Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tbsp Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/3 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp and continue cooking 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked. Garnish with fresh basil and cilantro.

As prepared by me:
1 tbsp green curry paste (the store didn't have red at the time), 2 tbsp fish sauce, no peas, 1 red bell pepper in chunks instead. Served over jasmine rice. Very good.

Thai Green Curry Chicken - As written on the label:
In a large saucepan, simmer one 14 fl. oz. can Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk with 1 to 2 tbsp Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add two boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in bite-sized chunks, 1 to 2 tbsp Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/3 cup chicken stock. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with fresh basil and serve hot.

As prepared by me:
2 tbsp each green curry paste and fish sauce, 2 lb pkg of chicken tenders (on sale), no bamboo shoots or peas. Instead, I took nearly two bunches of fresh spinach and added it to the top of the curry mixture, covered the pot, and raised the heat a bit until it started to cook down, stirring occasionally. Also, I used water instead of chicken stock. Also also, I'm not eating this one with rice. Maybe next time I'll add chickpeas. And/or sweet onion.

Dessert!!
And now for a non-curry recipe, from Whole Foods.

Apple Date Bars - "These bars can be baked ahead, cut, and frozen in zip-lock bags and kept up to 2 months in the freezer. Yields 18 servings."
2 1/2 oz butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp 2% milk (I used whole)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup dried date pitted and chopped
1/2 cup apples peeled and chopped
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12x9 inch pan. Cream the butter and brown sugar. [I recommend softening the butter a bit before.] Mix in the egg and milk. Stir in the apples. [I forgot to add the apples here, instead mixing them in with the dates and walnuts. I think it worked okay.] Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, mix thoroughly. Stir in the nuts and dates. Spread dough into greased pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch square bars.
[I doubled the recipe and used a 9x13 pan. I don't know how much longer it took to bake. I brought it to the office picnic and got rave reviews.]
:)

And that is all. Everything else in my life outside of the kitchen? Bleh. I'd rather be eating curry.
Enjoy!

Quickly, before I forget...

Roasted Veggies update
I just roasted up a batch of potatoes. I bought a bagged bundle of small potatoes: red, yukon gold, and purple (probably Peruvian purple, or blue). These purple potatoes aren't just purple on the outside; they're purple all the way through... hm, purple mashed potatoes, LSU purple and gold french fries... Anyhoo, they are delicious, and I encourage all to add them to their potato options. Because they have the same pigment as blueberries, they're high in antioxidants. And for the twisted, I found the following use hidden in some blog comments: My whack-job brother-in-law likes to mash them, then stir in some steamed broccoli, drizzle with butter, and call it "Barney died casserole." He is really sick.

I also gave roasted corn a shot, but it didn't work out well. Partly because I forgot the recommended temp and time, so I guessed, and partly because these were not prime specimens to begin with. Next time I'll shop early and roast immediately, to make sure I get the pick of the crop.

Greek Yogurt update
I had a delightful breakfast yesterday of fresh fruit--raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and red grapes--topped with plain Fage "Total" (as in, whole milk). So, why haven't you tried it yet? Look here for more info.

Herbed Sour Cream Steak
A total experiment, no measurements, just kind of to taste/by guesstimate.
In a stove top grill-surfaced skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until melted/combined: honey butter, chopped onion (I used frozen), sour cream, garlic pepper, dried parsley. Once this mixture heated through, I added three "breakfast steaks"--thinly sliced, about the size of small pork chops. I cooked them in the mixture, and because they were thin they didn't take long to cook. The flavor of the sauce is very, very good, and cooking the meat in it added a bit of dark color and some meaty flavor. If anyone can think of a better way to cook the combo, let me know. I thought about adding dill instead of parsley, but was concerned about the dill/garlic pepper interaction.

And so I'm off, purple potatoes calling me. Also on the menu for this evening, a fresh salad, with red and yellow bell peppers (among my favorite foods ever -- so favorite that I now have a red bell pepper plant growing in my bedroom. I hope it works out). :D

Don't forget to say Happy Mom's Day!

:D

Kitchen Shenanigan Updates

Betty Crocker Sour Cream Coffee Cake
This is a delicious cake. It stays moist and delicious for days, and the recipe includes the best cake glaze ever!!

Balsamic Veggies
1 bunch asparagus, 1 red bell pepper, 1 sweet onion, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard
-- Cut asparagus into ~1-in pieces. Begin to sautee in olive oil. -- As the asparagus cooks, cut pepper into chunks and add to pan. -- As those cook, cut onion into chunks and add to pan. -- Drizzle with dijon mustard and add balsamic vinegar for flavor and moisture. -- Cover; sautee to desired tender/crisp-ness.
-- A real experiment, it came out pretty good. Next time, though, I'll let the asparagus cook a bit before adding the pepper and onion. I like asparagus rather tender and my peppers and onions more on the crisp side. But I've come to love the balsamic/mustard flavor combo.

Greek Yogurts
I purchased three different Greek yogurts from Sunflower Market (think Whole Foods, but not so elitist.) Each includes several active cultures, like yogurt, but has a thicker consistency. Here are my reviews.
Fage (fah-yeh) -- packaged with honey in a separate compartment. The first sampled, and my favorite. It has a bit of a cream cheese consistency, but none of the sour taste of the other two. Very tasty with honey, but also very yummy alone. I could very easily eat this in lieu of our traditional yogurt. Bonus? All natural ingredients.
Oikos greek yogurt -- Not as thick as Fage, and it tasted like it might as well have been sour cream. So, I did what I usually do with sour cream - added brown sugar and ate it with blackberries. It claimed to be vanilla flavored, but I couldn't tell. I won't be buying it again.
Cascade Fresh Mediterranean style yogurt (lebne) -- Tasted like a sour cream/cream cheese combo. Not bad, and it went well with fresh blackberries (no brown sugar needed). They recommended putting it on bread with rosemary and olives, and I think that would be tasty. I might get it again, but as a spread rather than a yogurt.

Roasted Veggies
I've talked about them before, but I have to rave.
-- Cauliflower tossed in olive oil, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper -- Red Onion and Red Potatoes tossed in olive oil, seasoned pepper, and chili powder -- All roasted in a 425 deg. oven for about 25 minutes.
Soooo tasty. I loooove the cauliflower. Tastes just like the fried cauliflower at the old cafeteria, but without the fried. Omg love.

In Other News
Enh -- renting a storage unit to begin the packing up process (I move in September). so ready for a bigger place. -- new haircut still looking fabulous (see the new fb pic). -- kitty is only occasionally insane, but frequently lovable. -- graduation date moved again, to November. no further comment. see my favorite Chaucer the Blogger quote. -- warmer days more often, finally time to pack up the winter clothes and unleash the skirts and sandals. -- internet access at the appy has been down, and I'm disappointed by my dependence on it. -- okc has been good to me of late, but boys are still stupid. continue to throw rocks at them until further notice. -- transitioned from loom knitting to locker hooking. look into it, you'll like it. -- stayed up late last night to finish PPZ (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). very good, much fun, I highly recommend it. it's more than just a paragraph inserted here and there. he does a good job of integrating the zombie into the world and characters of Jane Austen. and not just zombies, but ninjas as well. a pretty good read. (and I think a good rpg setting as well. now, to roleplay Elizabeth or Kitty?) -- I'll be in Laffy in about a month, after a family trip to DC. are you ready? I know I am. :D

This is Starshine,
signing off.

Understanding

You are willing to take the time to find out what's going on with other people, especially if they're in distress. You're a good listener, you don't criticize, and you offer unbiased, respectful, honest advice when it's requested.
You don't feel the need to impose your standards on others or say things that, even though true, cause pain.
With a high score on the "understanding" trait, it is likely that you are enthusiastic about charitable work, helping others, and making the world a better place.

Upbeat

You enjoy being around others and others enjoy being around you. You have a "live and let live" attitude; because you know that no one's perfect, you are forgiving and happy to give the benefit of the doubt.
You don't feel the need to be controversial or express contrary opinions all the time. You see no reason to go around rubbing people the wrong way.

Aesthetic

You appreciate art, beauty, and design; you know that they are not superficial but absolutely crucial to living the good life. You have good taste, and you're proud of it.
You don't think it's pretentious to be moved by art and beauty. You're not one of those who believe it doesn't matter what something looks like as long as it does its job.
Those with a high score on the "aesthetic" trait are often employed in literary or artistic professions, enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the house — and are enthusiastic about the arts, reading, and travel.

Creative

You are good at solving problems, coming up with original ideas, and seeing connections between things, connections that most other people miss.
You do not shun abstractions and concepts in favor of the concrete and tangible.
People with a high score on the "creative" trait often are employed in such fields as finance and scientific research, and enjoy avant garde and classical music as well as literary fiction and scholarly non-fiction.

Competent

You strive to master everything you undertake. You tend to learn quickly and do not shy away from challenges.
You are not a "que sera sera" type of person, nor do you go easy on yourself when attempting to master a new skill or get a job done.

Intellectual

You are thoughtful, rational, and comfortable in the world of ideas. People find you interesting to talk to. You're the living embodiment of the saying "You learn something new every day."
You do not avoid abstract conversation, experimenting with new ideas, or studying new things. It bores you to stick to the straight and narrow of what you already know.
In general, those with a high score on the "intellectual" trait are employed in such fields as teaching and research, and are enthusiastic about reading, foreign films, and classical music.

Original

You are constantly coming up with new ideas. For you, the world as it exists is just a jumping-off place; what's going on inside your mind is often more interesting than what's going on outside.
You don't feel that the road to success is to be a realist and stick to the program; you never stop yourself from coming up with new ideas or telling the world what you're thinking about.

Curious

You like to get to the bottom of things. You're not content knowing what someone did; you want to know why they did it.
You don't simply take things as they are and move on; you're not content skimming along on the surface; you don't feel you're wasting time by digging for the meaning of things.

Calm

You rarely become irritated, generally accept people as they are, take things as they come, and feel relaxed in most situations.
You do not let a minor annoyance escalate to a confrontation. You don't regularly snap at those around you or fly off the handle with little provocation.

Innovative

You come up with a lot of ideas; if one doesn't work out, there's always another waiting in the wings. You often have interesting solutions to difficult problems. You're practically a one-person brainstorming session.
You are less interested changing the world than in dealing with things as they are. Unlike those who spend all their time trying to solve problems, you prefer to zero in on things that work and stick with them.

No-Sugar Sugar Cookies
These have become a Valentine's staple the last couple of years. With a diabetic in the office and my dad then recently diagnosed, I decided to disregard my Splenda aversion and give these a try. They're actually not too bad. Here's the link. Now, I use unsalted butter throughout, instead of combining unsalted and light, but I do use both regular and cake flour. Also, I don't do the whole raspberry jam thing, but for Valentine's the heart shape is a must. Also also, I recently bought some dough planers, and they make rolling out the cookies soooo much easier. :D
(The only problem is that I have tons of Splenda leftover and I don't use it... Maybe my sugar-free banana bread is up next.)

Sweet N Tangy Meatballs (A Ragu' recipe)
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 small red onion in chunks, 1 small red bell pepper in chunks, 1 jar (1 lb 10 oz) Ragu Old World Style pasta sauce, 1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, 1 tbsp reserved pineapple juice, 1 jar (12 oz) grape jelly, 1 pkg (20 oz) frozen fully-cooked meatballs (thawed)

1. In 12-in skillet (or larger), heat olive oil over med-high heat; cook red onion red bell pepper about 4 minutes or until crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. In same skillet, stir in pasta sauce, pineapple juice, and jelly. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Add meatballs. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce is thickened.
3. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir in pineapple and heat through. If desired, serve over hot cooked rice.

Now, my first dish isn't over rice, but it's still tasty, better than you'd expect grape jelly and tomato sauce to taste. It all comes together. Just remember, tomato sauce spits.

Revision -- Cake Balls
I have just been informed that my previous instructions were incorrect. Form the cake balls immediately after combining cake and icing. Then refrigerate before coating with chocolate. Maybe next time they'll come out smoother and prettier.

Coming Up -- Homemade King Cake :D

Recent kitchen experiments

Roasted potatoes
(Not really an experiment, but a good recipe.) Two medium white potatoes, two medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks/wedges. Spread out in one layer in a baking dish or roasting pan. Coat with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Nothing special, but it gets me to eat sweet potatoes. The recipe also recommends paring it with roasted asparagus, which is also tasty (but not as leftovers so much): very similar to above: olive oil, garlic, chopped asparagus, bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and add salt/pepper as desired.

Fruit dessert
Sour cream, mixed with enough brown sugar so that it doesn't taste like sour cream anymore, and allspice for a bit of flavor. Makes a good topping or binding agent for a fruit salad. I like it with blackberries, bananas, and red grapes, but I've also thrown in mandarin oranges, peaches, and blueberries.

Rice stuff
Very easy. 10-oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed, thrown into a pot with minced garlic from a jar, with a bit of garlic pepper, chili powder, and salt. Then thew in some cooked ground beef I pulled out of the freezer (thawed, of course). Heated that up a bit, then added cooked brown rice (Uncle Ben's that you cook in the microwave for 90 seconds). I thought it needed some kind of sauce to tie everything together, so I added some pizza sauce that I had in the fridge. Not a lot, just enough to blend everything. It was all done in under 10 minutes. I still think it needs something, so let me know if you have any suggestions.

Cake balls
This "recipe" is all over the internet. Bake a cake as per package directions. Cool a bit, but while still warm, crumble the cake and mix with one tub of icing. Chill in the fridge for a few hours, then form cake mixture into balls. Dip/coat in melted chocolate and refrigerate to harden. My first attempt used strawberry cake, white icing, and dark chocolate Ghirardelli chips. They turned out okay, but I think the cake was still too hot when I mixed it with the icing, so it got kind of soggy. Other variations I've seen include using canned pie filling instead of icing (for a chocolate covered cherry version) and using white chocolate or peanut butter chips for the coating. The possibilities are nearly endless.

Chocolate cherry cheesecake
(from the Eagle Brand cookbook, but I added the cherries)
Mix one package of fudge brownie mix according to package directions. Pour batter into well-greased 9x13 pan. (My part) Dump a 20-oz can of cherry pie filling on top of the raw batter. For the cheesecake part: Mix one 8-oz package of softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp softened butter, and 1 tbsp corn starch; blend until fluffy. Gradually blend in one 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Pour cheesecake mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I think it turned out tasty, and I used fat free cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, too.

Well, that's everything of note so far. My next attempts with the cake balls will be a white chocolate version using the confetti cake mix (for a baby shower), and that chocolate cherry one. Mmm. I'll let you know how it turns out.

How on earth did I go 8 months without updating? I have certainly had no lack of things to write about; perhaps I've lacked the desire to talk about them. But today I was inspired. Not to share any dark secret of my soul, thoughts, or recent life, but to describe the snowy, Christmasy day I've just had.

When I opened the front door to leave for work this morning, the snow on the balcony outside was pristine, and there I stood in my Anna Karenina chic -- long gray Victorian-styled gray coat, black furry Russian hat, gray wool scarf. No matter that I had jeans and cheap snowboots peeking out underneath and a hot pink purse over my shoulder. It hadn't been snowing for long, and when i brushed the snow off the car window with my sleeve, I saw that it was a soft, powdery snow. The drive to work wasn't as bad as it could have been, and I didn't have far to walk to get inside. Which is good -- the high today was 20 degrees. By the time I left work it was 13 with a wind chill of 9, I think. The snow outside my door this morning was a pretty sight, yes, but the snow in the parking lot tonight at work was even better. It was like someone had poured out a layer of glitterdust over the ground, in varying thickness, but allover sparkly and crisp. (It made me happy.) But, the sparkle soon lost emphasis as I prepared for the drive home. For those of you who have not driven in the snow, or driven after a day of snowfall, let me outline the preparations for you. I grabbed the brush/scraper combo thingy out of the car and turned it on to preheat. This always makes me nervous, that I'll accidently lock myself out with the car running. But anway... Then I brushed and scraped the snow and ice off the car windows as best I could, which again, could have been worse. Then, my favorite part, I had to bang and scrape to get the ice off of the headlights. Finally I was ready to drive away, and hear the untouched snow crunch under the tires. The drive home was fine, though I still drove cautiously. I thought of the wispy tails of snow dust that blow over the interstate under the cars, and the angel/devil procession of the white and red lights stretching to the horizon, and I listened to the Christmas music on the radio. Highlights: Happy Xmas (War Is Over), one of my favorites, and Santa Baby, the Eartha Kitt version. Such a sassy coquette of a song, I love it. After channel surfing a bit I found another song that got my attention: Flobots, Stand Up. It's the kind of song that, when you get to where you're going, you sit in the car and listen through to the end of the song. I like it.

And that's it. Someone had swept the stairs and walkways at the apartment, and my little Christmas tree outside my door still had little patches of snow on it. The lights are on on the Christmas tree inside by the window, and I'm slowly cleaning up the apartment so I can put out the rest of my decorations. I know it's not much of an update, but maybe this will get me back in the habit of posting more frequently.

Happy day!

~INTRO~
Musings and journalings from the pages of my green-hued notebook. (Or from those of a small white legal pad when I leave the green book at home.)

I often think myself emotionally stunted these days, I think as a result of finding close friends in younger people. Likely also of my slow development in the romantic relationship genre. I also often think of myself as philosophically stunted, and, as much as I relish the chance to engage in lofty conversation, I tend to find myself ill-prepared for it. But since I've been here, I find myself journaling more and more, and on a broader, deeper range of topics than I am used to ponder. Is it the nature around me or the mountain air breezing past? Is it the isolation I feel heightening my individuality and increasing my need for self-conversation? Is it the absence of a "list" and thus freedom from romantic stratageme? Perhaps all of the above. In any event, my pen is working overtime, and I hope that these ponderings, musings, observings, questionings are not mere side effects of "the college experience" but signs of growth and transition from the salad days of youth to the mental / emotional / spiritual / philosophical life of maturity. (Not that I seek to rid myself of my immaturity, naivete, or childhood. No, far from it; I cling to them. But neither do I with to be fully a child forever.) I was once told that my purpose in life is to observe, that in the afterlife I will be called upon to give account of what I've seen. It is a role I already knew on some level was mine. So, from the seat in the back corner of the room, from the invisible cafe stool looking over the street, from behind the plate glass window of my Ivory Tower, here I am. Are you interested in what I say? Perhaps not; but it's somehow easier to write with an audience in mind. And who knows -- I just might say something worthwhile.

Sha little brother. "Collin, you listed me as one of your best friends (on Facebook)." "Well... you are." Sha! And I'm oh so glad he has fashion sense. Or, as he puts it, he gets it, he just doesn't care. But I can ask him an opinion on an outfit, and he can actually give a good answer. I'm so proud. And he can even teach me a few things, at least as far as how guys interpret things. Like a red dress is sexier than a black dress, 'cause a black dress could just be a dress-up "little black dress" thing, but a red dress is unmistakably a "look at me" dress. Good to know.
And Collin, yes, you are the final straw that got me to actually pull up my old exercise routine last night and get started. He's been losing weight, I've been finding it, and all the things he's added to his routine I'm already doing. "You have to exercise." Well, alright then. And ugh, I'm out of shape. But I'm only starting, right? Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a couple of guys worth slimming down for, and a box full of warm weather clothes from last year that don't quite fit at the moment... No rush though; the weather is still doing crazy things: high in the 70s today, snow in the forecast tomorrow. So I've still got some winter clothes out on reserve. Speaking of season changes, if any of you find a nice pair of white jeans for summer, let me know, I'm in the market.
I'm still battling the lack-of-motivation bug as far as school is concerned. I'm playing hooky from work today to read the book that I've had two weeks to read. My "class" is today at 5ish, and it's just me and the prof, so I can't wing it. Wish me luck.
I'm thinking that CU-Boulder is at the top of my list for PhD school. I'd get to keep my job, I won't have to move cross-country, and I love the area. About a week ago I went to research at the library and stayed to wander around campus a bit. I love it. It reminds me of LSU in ways that DU just doesn't. The off-campus student community is much better, and I found a coffee shop that's the coffee shop I've been looking for for years. I did much journaling that day, and I might post the entry here later. Articulates my new-found attraction to Boulder in a much better way.
Boys? Oh, possibilities that might not be possibilities, perhapses that I might not want to be perhapses. Confusion? Only slightly. Food for ponderation. But until anything happens, I've still got a great bunch of guys to hang out with. (It looks like we might not be getting back to the dungeon campaign, so Cordelia the second just might have to remain in stasis indefinitely. My ninja character died, but it was time - she was maggot-infested, and consistently lived up to her title of "worst ninja ever." But now I get to play a sexy pirate who isn't from this oriental world, which is good, because I know next to nothing about how to play in the orient, especially the ancient orient. Still, the DM is somewhere between arbitrary and insane, so who know how he'll try to kill me next.)
Sorry for the digression. But no worries, I'm off. Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France." Woo. Hoo.

This is Starshine,
signing off.

As I read towards an end of a scholarly informed final paper, the sometime soothing, sometime inspiring background of my Wimamp playlist forced itself a nudge to the foreground of my sense as the hypnotic pulsing primal opening beats of "Closer" began to play. Coincident with the playing of the song, I found myself upon the following sentence:

So, the film "Once":
This might be the first time that the song inspired me to rent the movie. But it was worth it. Overall I'd have to say it's a good movie, although not much technically is done well. The camera work, even if supposed to be hand-held, is shaky. The editing is very clumsy. The directing is a combination of average and good, with the better scenes standing out all the more because they're so different from the bulk of the movie. The dialog is good, but one gets the feeling that it suffered from the editing. It's definitely the music that carries the story along, but then, that's the point. And by the end, I can't imagine this movie benefiting from a more professional or high-budget approach. This is the story of two average people in a universal and utterly average situation. Nothing really remarkable comes of it except for the music. So it fits that the moviemaking be an average background for the so very above par soundtrack. And even so, the movie is done well enough for me to feel sad when the ending turns out differently than what I'd hoped. A good little movie, with the soundtrack soon to be in my possession. (And they guy's kinda cute, too. At least he acts well enough for me to be attracted.)

Finals?
Bah. I'm sitting here watching a movie, noticing the walls change color as the sun sets outside, leaving me to the light of the tv screen. When I should be reading criticism on Jane Eyre and fairy tale. Maybe I'm too confident that I can write these papers. Maybe the deadlines aren't looming quite so close to me for concern. No, it's a movie I've wanted to see. This is a bit of calm before I plunge head and feet first into the deep. It's a moment of stasis while the world turns over before I have to toss and turn myself. There's something about watching a movie in the dark. The attention is on the screen only; nothing is visible or of notice except the world on the other side of the screen. And in the darkness you are alone, one can almost say you don't exist, and all of your consciousness is free to enter that other world. <Insert criticism here, expounding on the role of spectator, the (un)conscious relationship to/with the (unknown) other. Approaching maximum pretension...>

Well, it seems that I'm returning to that grad school, sober-serious essay writing mode. Bah, again I say!

I can't wait for these next few days to be over, and I can have a week or so to clean the apartment and knit with impunity.

Le sigh.

This is Starshine,
signing off. (for the fairies, they are a-watching...)

Cherry Vanilla Cobbler (?)
I got this recipe from Mom, who got it from someone she works with (?), so I don't know what the official name or source for this recipe.

1 to 2 bags Dark sweet pitted cherries, frozen [For 16 oz bags, I used a bag an a half - enough to cover a 9x13 pan.]
1 pkg French Vanilla cake mix
2 cups Diet Sprite (or other lemon-lime soda)

In a 9x13 inch pan, place the frozen cherries so that they cover the bottom. Next, dump the cake mix on top, sprinkled evenly over the cherries. Then pour the soda over the cake mix, trying to moisten all of the mix.

Bake at 350 F covered for 40 min. Uncover, then bake a further 30 min.

It takes a while to bake, but it's worth it. Don't expect the cake mix to come out cakey - it's more of a crumble/cobbler.

Enjoy!

so, i just had a thought. would any of you out there be interested if i decided to start posting all of these delicious recipes that i've been trying out lately? i could probably get one up at least once a week. you know me (or perhaps you don't) - it's in my nature to feed people, and since i can't feed you all from here, i can at least offer something along those lines. let me know.

update in brief: the MRI on tuesday was perfectly normal (so there's no biological reason for whatever craziness you might see in me). so that means monday saw my very first migraine! woohoo! the good news is, people who start getting them late, like me, tend to have them less frequently. whew. let's hope i'm one of the ones who only has, like, two in a lifetime. not that it was that bad, but no need to make it a regular occurrence.

mk, that is all. well, pretty much. all else is rather mundane.
this is starshine,
signing off.

ps - Notes and Queries is a rather delightful little journal. I highly recommend perusing an 1870s issue (as i did today) if you can. or, if you have access to the C19 database, do a search for something and see what scholars and other such lettered gentleman were asking each other back in the day - before blogs and message boards.

So. All that's left to do is wait for the results. Follow up on Thursday. (Woohoo, doctor's appointment on Valentine's Day.) Oh, that's right. Results of the MRI I had this morning. At 7:30. AM. bleh. So why the MRI? Well, yesterday I had what was probably a migraine, but as I have no history of migraine or severe headache, and as there were other symptoms of concern, it was thought prudent to have an MRI to rule out everything else before assuming migraine. That and, even though I am still within the age range for onset of migraine, I'm at the latter end of the age range, so. The experience wasn't too bad. Lots of different sounds and hums and buzzes and beeps. It reminded me of those space guns we had as kids that make a different noise each time you pull the trigger. And at one point there was a real rattling and vibration. In my mind I thought, I wonder if they're trying to scare me, to get my heart rate up or something. Well, fact is, I rather enjoyed the little mini massage. All was calm and serene, until they had to add the "contrast" fluid. I don't do well with shots in general, blood draws more so, but an intravenous injection for which they held the needle in for several minutes? Not. Cool. But, even though I don't like needles etc., I've long since gotten past the squirmishness, seeing the necessity of it all. I just held my breath and clutched my other fist in bracing stance. It still kinda hurts a bit. bleh, again. But, the upshot is, I was out of there for 8:20, and by the time I made the requisite family phone calls and stopped by the grocery store for breakfast fixings, I was home for 9:00. Typically on a Tuesday, when all I have is class at 2, I'm not up until 10-ish. Now I'm not only awake but wide awake. Bright eyed, bushy tailed, and only a bit maimed on one elbow interior.
So, update made, I have to go make my breakfast while the appy repairman fixes my bathtub faucet drip (apparently it's gotten so bad that there's a leak downstairs - sorry). Check one off the old-appy-so-many-things-need-to-repaired list. Woot!

This is Starshine,
signing off.

EDIT: Not only was the bathtub's hot water drip fixed, but the faucet was replaced and the entire bathtub recaulked as well. Awesome!! And the smoke detector had its battery replaced, so it doesn't randomly beep anymore! This guy's good. Now all I have to do is get my drain cleared, my door securified, ... (wait, is that all that's left?)

Well, I thought this would be "how it all began." But I think rather it is just one of those mundane coincidences signifying nothing of everyday life. A keycard left in a library book, but the book holds no arcane truths and the page it marks is unremarkable. Likewise, the keycard belongs to a typical ski resort in Vail. Ah me, it seems the mystery must wait for another day.

And maybe if I ignore my cat's attempts to turn me into a teething plaything, then she'll stop and the cuts on my hands will have time to heal before fresh ones are delivered. Or not; maybe she'll just bite the harder to get my attention. I much rather her in her sweet "I missed you" moods. Playful kitty scratches are not my cup of tea.

I hope I'm not ruining things for myself when I say this, but I think this quarter might go rather well. I have the greenlight in one of my classes to focus my final on an investigation of the fae imagery in Jane Eyre. I have a sneaking suspicion that her self-identity is tied in with an awareness of and an indulgence in a mythofantastical imagination, which includes not only fae creatures but also the exotic of the Orient and classical ancient mythology.

for as to the elves, having sought them in vain among the foxglove leaves and bells, under mushrooms, and beneath the ground-ivy mantling old wall-nooks, I had at length made up my mind to the sad truth, that they were all gone out of England to some savage country where the woods were wilder and thicker, and the population more scant...

(This quote also inspires me to look again at the transition of Romanticism from England into America...)

Yes, my cat is a demon cat. And I have no idea why.

But back to Jane Eyre. I have decided: give me Rochester and I will swoon. He is henceforth added to my list of those fictional characters who are pleasing to my romantic interests. He is no handsome man, true, (but isn't that the point of the romance), but he is engaging and intelligent and playful and many other things. I like a bit of antagonism in a courtship. Of course, this would be a Rochester sans crazy wife in the attic. (Oops, sorry, spoiler. Now you have to read the book.) Though I've read it a few times before, I'm currently only about halfway through (pre - St John Rivers) and I'm giddy as can be. There's been a lot of giddiness in me lately, between Jane, the first season of the new Dr. Who available instantly on Netflix, and snow. But methinks I need it. There's also been much grief in my life of late.

I spent yesterday making king cakes (says a friend: "I didn't know people could actually make king cakes."). They turned out pretty darn good, I must say, and I think I shall never purchase a king cake again. Really, it's not so hard as long as you know how to activate yeast (and it helps to have a professional mixer plus bread hook to do the kneading for you). I recommend it.

For my other class, I have a presentation tomorrow looking at the lyric genre of poetry in terms of a couple of Beatles songs. I've actually found some interesting stuff comparing the Beatles to the Romantics, so I might make that the focus of this paper. Alas, neither paper will forward work on my thesis, but they are both within the realm of my specialty, so it's all good.

In that other realm of romance, ah me, I don't rightly know what to say. Is that the glow of a pre-dawn of opportunity, or another one of those pesky power plant meltdowns. Or perhaps more importantly, am I really all that concerned? I just might be in a place in my life when, a time of my life where, (bleuwah) I'm not quite in the mood for a boyfriend. I can look forward to a summer of diligent study and work; do I really want stresses of the heart contributing as well? Not to say I wouldn't welcome that dawn in an instant. But at least until I graduate and have some free time, I won't be too worried if I miss it.

Ah me, le sigh, etc. To bed, or to read some more. To type out a script for my presentation, or just wing it in my oh so casual conversational style. Hm, methinks the latter. I will say this, though. For a topic I'm interested in, the research can be pretty interesting. I just might be in the right place after all.

Until I think otherwise,
or have regressed into a deeper state of primordial consciousness,
or have met my helpmeet in Ferndean,
this is Starshine,
signing off.

What is Christmas? For me, it’s not Christmas until I hear Paul McCartney on the radio – “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime.” I have other favorite Christmas songs, of course. Baby, It’s Cold Outside; Santa Baby (as sung by Ertha Kitt); Blue Christmas; Happy Christmas (War Is Over) (I have a good version by The Cruxshadows – on my Christmas CD from Hot Topic. One of my favorites, by the way – Let the Reindeer Live on My Roof, Radiant Snow, Winter Flowers, Silver and Gold… the whole CD is rather enjoyable.). The last couple of years, I’ll Be Home for Christmas has been up there, and just in the last few days, I’ve discovered That’s What I Want for Christmas, as well as a newfound appreciation for What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve. As for new discoveries, add to the list Mistletoe Mambo by Michael Andrew and The Swingerheads. (I love compilation albums.) Oh, and how can I forget Bing Crosby and David Bowie’s rendition of Little Drummer Boy? The bottom line, I guess, is that, among many other things, Christmas is music. I love Christmas songs and carols, and I always look forward to turning off the car radio and singing with Mom and Collin. John Denver’s Christmas album is a family tradition, and Collin and I always sing along to Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas. (I also like his song Aspenglow.)

Christmas is tradition, but we all know that. My favorite is walking through Acadian Village. Every year I am reminded how much I love the chapel there. I look forward to seeing the familiar light displays, and to seeing what is new. And of course, we always leave – Mom, Collin, and I – saying that next year we’ll bring our boyfriend/girlfriend along. Almost part of the tradition now. But traditions like this are what I look forward to sharing with he who is yet to be discovered.

Christmas is hope, it is joy, it is nostalgia and comfort. I still believe in Santa – why not? he does exist – and every year I am still ecstatic to see what he’s left me. Such joy is my reward for keeping the Nothing away and for always hearing that sweet sound of the first gift of Christmas.

Christmas is simplicity. God in his Heaven and all right with the world, you know the drill. Turtlenecks and frosty breath, hot chocolate and egg nog, street lights become festive, an excuse to see friends, baking, giving, making people happy… Winter is my favorite season, so I guess it’s no wonder Christmas is my favorite time of year. It means so many things, holds so many possibilities. I wonder if it’s something about warmth and all its connotations defying a cold world. Then again, it might just be the way evergreens look in the snow, or the excitement of finding the perfect gift. Maybe it’s not so simple after all.

And so, my musings over, for the moment, I’ll leave you with some thoughts of others, and a fond farewell.

"My cell phone is not a chew toy."
"Don't try to eat my glasses, especially when they're on my face."
"Please don't bite at lappy's power cord."
"No!"

I find myself saying these things more frequently as of late. But overall, life with kitty is good. Life with all of the other things that make up my life are also going well, at least well enough. The blood that began invading the whites of my eyes on Monday is finally on the retreat, so I don't look quite so odd. (A good thing, especially as Halloween was two days ago.) Money is beginning to get a bit tight, but not dire, and I have a performance review bonus coming up soon, with a promotion not long after that, so all is well as far as that's concerned. Currently listening to a lovely digital recital by dear Mr. Duggan, and it'd lovely. I've gotten into a classical music kick lately, which is good, because I find it undistracting when I'm trying to do work. Though I haven't really been working. But I'm a night owl, and, when not procrastinating, my work ethic kicks in well into the evening. As of right now, I'm not concerned. (Check back with me in a few weeks.) I've also been on an Oscar Wilde kick, what with reading him in class and having just watched the film adaptation of "An Ideal Husband" the other day. Why do I not own more Wildean films? Witty romantic comedy - the best way to go.

It appears that I am not totally made up of all things Literature. Tuesday, as a benefit of my employ, I attended the annual meeting for the Geological Society of America. I attended four sessions and found them quite enjoyable. Admittedly, I stayed away from those sessions that were so technical that not only would they fly over my head, but they would turn around and perform airborne acrobatics just to show off. I heard three papers each from sessions on the History of Geology, using biography to further elucidate the development of science; Communications relations, that is, teaching scientists how to work with journalists and television producers and such things; Planetary geology, specifically looking at evidence for major impact on the Moon and Mars (technical in message but lay-friendly in presentation); and Forensic geology, especially toxic pigments, using geology to date pigments and artwork, toxic minerals in health and beauty products (even in today's age), and new bioavailability studies - did you know that although mixing lead chrom(ate?) with milk does nothing to hinder or increase the body's intake of lead, it does increase the intake of chromium? Fascinating. The expo hall portion was also interesting, though I focused on the publishers' booths... scouting out the kinds of products various publishers put out. I even got one business card from the head of one company, a small company I think, who seemed to be interested in freelance copyediting via email. Though I think it would currently be considered a conflict of interest - because my current employer pays me for my editing skills, any second job I take could not be in editing - it's still a contact I can look to should I decide to pursue an editing career. Though lit major, college professor is still the plan.

So, yes, there I was, wandering through a convention center full of geologists of all sorts, many of them cute grad school types. Agh, it was terrible, what with my eyes red and bloody beyond bloodshot. Any confidence I might have had drowned in all that gore. Not to mention the fact that all of these guys were here with science full on the brain, and to talk to them would be to betray my utter ignorance in the subject. I made it a point to walk through all of the poster sessions, scanning titles in hopes that I would come across something about which I could be moderately articulate. No sale. Oh well, it was for the best.... I was in no condition to be any kind of flirt. I did stop by and chat a bit with the two representatives at the LSU booth. Yes, they were there, recruiting for the geology grad program. So, if you know who went to Denver on this little trip, you can tell them that, hey, yeah, I know that freaky-eyed english major who stopped by your table.

Hm, what else, what else...

So, I've noticed a decline lately in my tendency to accentuate the, oh, naughty side of my personality. And when the opportunity to assert it came up the other day, I soon regretted it. Maybe it's a lack of audience, maybe it's a failed attempt (but still an attempt) to woo a new admirer, but I've been thinking lately, or at least finally realized that I've been manifesting it for some time, that, for example, I'd rather be a muse than an intellectual whore. What can this mean?? Bah. It probably also has something to do with the longtime thought that I'm ready for a relationship, and not just a series of "arrangements" with various friends. Something of purity in my relationships? I don't know, perhaps one can say it that way. Or maybe I'm just tired of one-sided attractions and love affairs... reciprocation would be nice.

Oh, I think that might be enough of that for now... I'm sure you know I'm not one for public airings of personal things.

I'll leave you with a bit of lyric that struck me the other day: